Unused Bridge Replaced with Landscaped Median

COLUMBIA - The pedestrian bridge over Providence Road serves no little purpose since most people jaywalk in order to get across the street. The City of Columbia plans to replace the seldom-used bridge with a landscaped pedestrian island this fall.

The concrete pedestrian bridge near Douglass High School and the Blind Boone Community Activity Center does not meet updated accessibility standards. There are limited crosswalks in the area forcing pedestrians to walk to major intersections in order to cross the street.

One Columbia resident said he does not bother using the bridge because it is an inconvenience. "Sometimes I am bold enough to run across the street when I get a clear shot on both sides," Cortez Wilson said.

Phil Steinhaus with the Columbia Housing Authority said the goal of the median is to give pedestrians an easier and safer way to cross the street. Steinhaus also said the bridge is an eyesore and the new median is designed to be visually appealing.

The estimated cost of this project is three hundred thousand dollars.The completion of the new pedestrian island is expected at the end of this year.